Unprotected
by Keziah
Summary: Kel's newfound romance with Dom was perfect until a Scanran arrow destroyed it... edited 5-25-05!


**A/N: My first Kel story, so I apologize for any bits that seem OOC. Also, forgive all errors…this was done without a beta. I took advantage of having taken it down by editing some parts that I wasn't pleased with, and so comments about what you think of the changes will be appreciated! **

**Disclaimer: All Tamora Pierce's…sadly.

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Keladry of Mindelan, one of two Lady Knights from Tortall, peered through her spyglass, surveying the woods surrounding the refugee camp of New Hope. It had been a little over a year since she had defeated Blayce the Gallan, yet the Scanrans were still attacking, albeit with a good deal less confidence and organization since the loss of the metal killing machines Blayce had produced. Diplomats from Scanra's king, Maggur, had arrived in the capital of Tortall to negotiate a peace treaty. As Kel was constantly telling the refugees at New Hope, just because the Scanrans were willing to discuss peace didn't mean the war was over yet. Better to err on the side of caution.

However, today Kel wasn't looking exclusively for Scanrans. Her former knight-master, Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, Knight Commander of the King's Own, had sent two squads of the Own to New Hope, and they were due to arrive sometime within the next few days. What made this all the more significant was that one of the squads was under the command of Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle.

Ever since Raoul's wedding to Buriram, or Buri, Tourakom the previous year, Kel and Dom had been courting. Kel smiled. They weren't courting in the traditional court manner, but Kel preferred it that way. After all, she was a knight of Tortall _and _commander of a refugee camp, while Dom was a sergeant in the King's Own. Neither one had the time to properly court, nor was it practical. Kel much preferred the way she and Dom went about it, and it appeared that he did, too. Raoul would send Dom had his squad to New Hope whenever he could spare them, always with some valid reason, but however justifiable the reason was, everyone knew the underlying motive. To Kel, it seemed like everyone knew about she and Dom's relationship. The odd part was, they all seemed pleased, some more than others. A grimace crossed Kel's features as she recalled one Nealan of Queenscove's reaction.

Flashback

_Kel and Dom were sitting in his room at Fort Steadfast, when, gazing at the lightly falling snow outside the window, Kel said, _

_"I hope Merric, Fanche, and the others remember to—"_

_Dom, laughing, replied, _

_"Mother, stop worrying. They'll be fine. You'll be back in less than a week." _

_Kel sighed, still not reassured. _

_"I still wish that I had left when I had originally planned to." _

_"You needed this break. Two and a half weeks away from your nest is nothing." Dom quirked his eyebrows at her. "And I personally have enjoyed having the Protector of the Small around to mother us all." _

_Kel opened her mouth to protest the use of her nickname, but found Dom very close to her. His cerulean eyes were twinkling mischievously, and his lips formed a small, devilish smile. Kel found it hard to breathe, and let him pull her to her feet, at the same time wondering how he could make her temporarily forget about her worries. Dom's mouth descended to meet hers and she savored the sweet heat that flowed from every place they touched. This kiss was as breathtaking as the handful of others they had exchanged, and Kel had discovered that it felt frighteningly—right. Suddenly, Dom's door opened. _

_The pair sprang apart as a dry, delighted voice drawled,_

_"Well what have we here?" _

_Neal stood in the door frame, a broad grin spreading across his face. He strolled in and languidly flopped into a chair, propping his feet on a nearby table. _

_"Don't let me disturb your exchange of saliva," he added with a smirk. _

_Kel's years with the Yamanis kicked in to stop the blush that was rising in Dom's visage from rising in her own. After a moment, Neal, still avidly watching his cousin and best friend, gave an exaggerated yawn. _

_  
"I'm getting bored," he commented, emerald eyes glimmering with mischief. _

_"Sorry, but neither of us are open to kissing Meatheads. Yuki's the only one deranged enough to do that, so my suggestion would be finding her to fulfill your carnal desires." Dom replied cheerfully. Kel, still seething, inwardly marveled at his ability to behave so placidly. _

_"Temper temper," Neal responded. "I'd rather stay here. Kel, enlighten me. Is Dom a good kisser? I had always imagined him as being weak—" Neal was cut off by chuckling. _

_"Simply because I am proficient at the art of kissing and you didn't inherit the gift gives you no reason to take your jealousy out on poor innocent Kel here," Dom replied, his voice bearing strong resemblance to poisoned honey. _

_'Poor innocent Kel' snorted. Dom went on, patting Kel's arm. "I'm sorry that you are forced to be witness to one of Meathead's tirades. He's just always been distraught that he lacks the gift the rest of the family possesses." _

_Straight-faced, Kel gave an understanding look. "I think I'll manage to survive this display of jealousy," she told him. _

_Neal, opening his mouth to retort, decided against it and instead clasped his hands together. _

_"This is so touching. Might I have a handkerchief to dab my eyes with?" _

_"Yes, there's one back in your rooms," Kel told him pointedly. _

_Neal gave an overdramatic sigh, and actually took the hint. Pausing when he had his hand on the doorknob, he winked. "Be good," he told them, and walked out, whistling cheerily. _

_Dom and Kel stared at the door for a moment after Neal's surprise exit. At last, _

_"That was—interesting," Dom finally commented. _

_"That was Meathead," Kel responded, then added wryly, "which means the whole for will know by dinner." _

End Flashback

Kel laughed to herself at the memory. Her fears that things would change among the men with the exposure of their relationship proved to be futile, and Kel's only complaint was that they couldn't see each other more often. However, she didn't dare complain about that. After all, they had duties to their country and those they worked with. Duty was a key factor in their courtship, just as it was an important part of their lives. In addition, she was grateful that they saw each other as often as they did.

Hearing New Hope's patrol blow the horns, Kel shook her thoughts away and trained her spyglass on the direction it came from. It was time for her to focus on her responsibility, not on her lover. Almost immediately another horn responded, giving the sound for "friend." Kel grinned as she collapsed the spyglass. Surely it was the promised squadrons of the Own. After all, New Hope wasn't expecting any other visitors, and they hardly ever dropped by without warning.

When she saw a slowly moving horse and rider enter the clearing alongside one of Merric's men, she narrowed her eyes, confused. If it was one of the Own, where were the others? Because the Own didn't wear their normal uniforms during the war, to avoid standing out in the forests, she wouldn't know for sure until she could see the rider up close. About to turn to go, she paused. What was on the rider's clothes? If she didn't know any better, she'd say it was…Abruptly Kel shook her head clear of that thought, and went down to wait for the rider.

New Hope's gates were slowly being opened, and the pair was progressing, little by little.

"Kel," croaked the rider once they were in hearing distance.

The Lady Knight's brows snapped together. She knew that voice. Ignoring her sudden worry, she smoothed on her best Yamani mask as she walked forward to greet them.

"Corporal Wolset?" she asked, hoping her voice sounded steady.

A head bobbed. Fear rose in Kel's heart, and she resisted the temptation to run towards the horse and rider, instead keeping her pace steady. Corporal Wolset was a member of the King's Own and in Dom's squad. It seemed to take her an eternity to reach him. When she did, Kel almost gasped. Wolset was smudged with dirt and blood stained. Both he and his mare looked exhausted.

"What happened?" She blurted out, heart thumping. _Where are Dom and the rest?_ Kel wondered.

"An—," the Corporal began, but Kel cut him off.

"Here," she said, handing him her water flask. The man drank greedily, and, when his thirst was quenched, handed it back with a smile of thanks.

"One moment, please," Kel excused herself, and turned to his escort. "Thank you for bringing him here. Why don't you go back to the patrol?" she suggested.

As the man turned his horse, Wolset said,

"The others."

The man nodded.

"We'll be watching," he responded, and rode off.

Kel turned to Tobe, who, as usual, was nearby.

"Tobe, get Neal. Tell him it's urgent, and then take Corporal Wolset's mare to the stables. Please." Kel helped Wolset off his mount, and Tobe, unsettled by the look in his knight-mistress's eyes, hurried to do as he was bid. He knew exactly who Wolset's squadron leader was, and knew how important the sergeant was to the Lady Knight.

Meanwhile, Kel looked at Wolset, anxious to hear his tale, and yet dreaded it. _Keep calm_, she told herself. _It could just be a minor thing._ Even as she told herself that, Kel knew how improbable it was.

"I apologize about that. Now, why don't you sit and tell me what happened. I know you need rest, but if something has happened, we need to know," Kel told him in the steadiest voice she had as they sat down on a nearby bench.

Neal hurried up to them and took a seat, green eyes already looking Wolset over for injuries.

"I'm fine. Nothing that can't be done later," he informed the healer.

With that, Wolset began.

"It was about a day and a half ago. We were riding through the woods, far from any help that could reach us in time, when we came across a band of Scanrans. They outnumbered us by about ten or fifteen. As far as Scanrans go, they were fair fighters. We fought hard, and in the end, they retreated." Wolset paused, eyes sad. Kel's heart was in her throat as she listened raptly.

"We lost four, while they lost almost half. The rest are coming with the wounded—I was sent ahead." Wolset stopped again, gaze fixated on the dirt beneath their feet.

"Who were they?" Neal asked quietly, elbows on his knees. His clasped hands were white with worry.

Wolset remained silent. Kel's heart constricted with fear. She _knew _the men who died, after spending so much time with the Own. Whoever they were, they would be missed. A tear fell from Wolset's eye and spattered on the dry earth. A second soon joined it. When Wolset looked up at the two knights, additional tears ran down his bristly cheeks. His eyes promised more to come. The corporal listed three names, and Kel could feel tears coming. She found herself more afraid to hear the last name than she would have thought. _It could be anyone. You don't know that it was him, _she told herself, trying to ease her trepidation.

"And the last…," Neal pressed gently after a few moments.

"Dom. It-it was their arrows. Took five shots before—" Wolset broke off, and the ground beneath his gaze grew wetter.

"Dom…oh gods," Neal murmured, burying his face in his hands.

Kel barely heard any of this. Her ears roared, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. The scene swam before her eyes. Fighting to keep her tears inside proved impossible. Dom…Kel shut her eyes, trying to turn this into a bad dream that she would wake up from, but her closed eyelids depicted a certain blue-eyed sergeant—a deceased sergeant. Kel rested her spinning head against something wonderfully solid—the wall, and attempted, and failed, to block out the thoughts of—him—of one of her best friends. Of her love. He was so—perfect. She loved the way he could make her want to throttle him one moment, and the next want to keep him close for the rest of time, the way he made her feel like they were the only ones in the world. Kel bit back the cry when she realized that never again would he make her feel that way. That never again he would joke with her as they worked, tease Neal with her, kiss her…As a distraction, Kel forced herself to open her eyes.

The world in front of her was blurry as she observed it with eyes clouded with tears. Through her misty eyes she made out Tobe and a handful of refugees, standing at a respectful distance, looking at their healer and commander with concern. They forcibly reminded her of her duty, which, despite her grief, she still had. Taking long, deep breaths to calm herself, Kel's thoughts strayed.

Dom had died doing his duty. Tears flooded down her cheeks at this last realization. Regardless of the importance of duty, Kel hated it more at this moment than she had ever hated it before. Once, just once, she wanted to be selfish. She wouldn't have minded if there were a few more Scanrans inside the border, if it meant that Dom would still be here to see this day, and countless others. Kel couldn't hold it in anymore. All over New Hope, the cry of one who finally gave into her heartbreak was heard.

The sole person who could have protected Keladry of Mindelan, Protector of the Small, from her heartbreak was lying dead on a field from a skirmish few would take note of.

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**A/N: Sappy, I know, but oh well. Again, my apologies for all grammar errors. Like it? Hate it? Let me know! Since this is my first time writing anything to do with PotS, constructive criticism will be tremendous help. Thanks! **


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